Many of us have fond memories of going to the zoo as children, but zoo critics are vocal in their condemnation of keeping animals in captivity, believing there can be no such thing as a good zoo. Are the goals of entertainment, conservation, education and research more often in conflict than harmony? And are they ultimately irreconcilable with concern for animal welfare?

In this episode, George Miller talks to Heather Browning and Walter Veit, co-authors of 'What are Zoos For?' about the ethics of captivity, the challenges of balancing animal welfare with the need for public engagement, and the potential for zoos to drive meaningful conservation efforts. We also get to hear about Walter’s recent memorable encounter with Frank the feisty king penguin.

Heather Browning is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Southampton, working on philosophical questions in animal welfare, sentience, and ethics. She previously worked as a zookeeper and zoo animal welfare officer in Australia and New Zealand. Walter Veit is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Reading. His primary research interests lie in the intersection of the biological, social, and mind sciences and empirically informed philosophy and ethics.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-are-zoos-for

The full transcript of the podcast is available here:

Timestamps:

1:30 - Are you the kind of people who seek out the zoo when you visit a new city?

2:33 - How did you come into this field?

4:01 - What was the particular appeal to ask and answer this question of the purpose of zoos?

8:02 - How do you deal with the historical dimension of zoos?

13:03 - Do you have examples of people having moving moments being in close proximity to wild animals?

18:07 - What makes it so difficult to judge whether conservation is as compelling an argument as zoos maintain?

23:54 - How easy is it to establish what constitutes good welfare?

28:03 - Can you pick out a zoo encounter that really sticks in your memory?

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Life expectancy is about more than just health – it’s about the kind of society we live in.

In this episode, Richard Kemp speaks with David Walsh and Gerry McCartney, co-authors of 'Social Murder?: Austerity and Life Expectancy in the UK', about the monumental impact austerity has had, and continues to have, on life expectancy.

They discuss the real-life stories of people affected by austerity policies, the reasons austerity is often sidelined in official health reports and the steps that need to be taken to reverse the horrific effects of these last 14 years.

David Walsh is Senior Lecturer in Health Inequalities at the University of Glasgow and previously Programme Manager at the Glasgow Centre for Population Health. Gerry McCartney is Professor of Wellbeing Economy at the University of Glasgow and Honorary Consultant in Public Health at Public Health Scotland.

Find out more about the book at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/social-murder

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/12/03/podcast-austerity-the-silent-killer/

Timestamps:

1:20 - What is social murder?

4:30 - Why were social service cuts made?

9:45 - Can you go into more detail on some of the cuts and how the affected poorer people?

16:20 - Was it thoughtlessness that led to these cuts?

18:37 - Can you talk us through some of the real life stories, such as Moira's story?

25:48 - What is the idea of a 'participation society' and how does that link to the rise in food banks?

31:40 - What have institutions and governments ignored the research on austerity?

38:34 - Should we be measuring our economies differently?

41:10 - What steps do we need to take to reverse the effects of austerity?

44:16 - Where can we find you online?

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Modern economics often credits Adam Smith as its cornerstone, but another key figure, David Ricardo, has shaped our world in ways we rarely examine. Ricardo, the wealthiest stock trader of his day, developed the theory of comparative advantage, a concept that helped justify globalisation but concealed deeper ties to power, empire and slavery.

In this episode, Jess Miles speaks to Nat Dyer, author of Ricardo's Dream: How Economists Forgot the Real World and Led Us Astray. They unpack Ricardo’s legacy, from his famous theory involving English cloth and Portuguese wine to its surprising connections to the welfare state. They also explore why abstract economic models, despite their flaws and potential for manipulation, remain so dominant in shaping policies today.

Nat Dyer is a Fellow of the Schumacher Institute, the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRSLI).

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/ricardos-dream

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/11/19/podcast-how-economics-left-the-real-world-behind/

Timestamps:

01:12 - What's your background, and why did you write the book?

03:12 - Was David Ricardo, and what was his dream?

08:42 - What is the example of English cloth and Portuguese wine?

18:02 - How was his theory able to become so influential?

22:16 - What does having this idealised view of economics mean for individuals?

29:25 - What's the relationship between Ricardo's legacy and the welfare state?

33:29 - How have these abstract theories contributed to climate change?

37:22 - Why do we trust, and defend, these models?

40:11 - What ideas are coming through to challenge these models?

45:08 - How do you feel about David Ricardo?

47:30 - What are you working on now?

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The budget and resources that have been dedicated to combatting terrorism this century are staggering. But has it worked?

In this episode, George Miller talks to Leonie B. Jackson, author of 'What is Counterterrorism for?', about the exceptional measures that states have taken in recent decades – such as detention without trial and targeted killing – in reaction to terrorist threats which they often portray as existential. When the terrorist spectacularly demonstrates that the state has failed to protect its citizens, Leonie explains, there’s an all-too-familiar recourse on the part of the state to put its response on a military footing.

Leonie B Jackson is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Northumbria University and an editor of the journal Critical Studies on Terrorism.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-is-counterterrorism-for

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/11/12/podcast-the-problem-with-counterterrorism/

Timestamps:

01:15 - How did 9/11 and its aftermath play a role in your thinking about terrorism?

02:24 - What was it that drew you to the field of counterterrorism in particular?

06:48 - What are counterterrorism's animating questions or its concerns?

08:03 - When did counterterrorism actually come on the agenda as something which merits very serious scrutiny?

11:58 - What are the problems with the power counterterrorism grants?

18:01 - How important is it to actually look at what works and what doesn't work within the field of counterterrorism?

21:38 - Do you see a great variety of counterterrorism approaches?

24:35 - Do you think there's a public readiness to tolerate if not to embrace the things which have been done in the name of counterterrorism, especially in the last quarter of a century?

28:20 - Is there some way of reaching beyond the academic community and advancing this argument?

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As the US election approaches, MSNBC notes that the question of “what it means to be a man” is now a defining theme. In this episode, Jess Miles and Karen Lee Ashcraft revisit Karen's concept of 'viral masculinity' — a powerful current of aggrieved manhood fuelling far-right ideologies worldwide.

They explore the manosphere, the online ecosystem where this resentment takes root, analysing how figures like JD Vance and Andrew Tate tap into youthful discontent and guide it toward political extremism. Ashcraft argues that, much like a public health crisis, the rapid spread of aggrieved masculinity affects society at every level, shaping policies, identities and even environmental stances.

Offering tools for positive change, Karen discusses her concepts of 'lateral empathy' and 'critical feeling' as an alternative approach to defusing the far-right’s emotional momentum.

Karen Lee Ashcraft is Professor of Communication at the University of Colorado Boulder. She grew up in the lap of evangelical populism, and her research examines how gender interacts with race, class, sexuality, and more to shape organizational and cultural politics.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/wronged-and-dangerous

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/10/29/podcast-viral-masculinity-and-the-far-right-karen-lee-ashcraft-on-gender-in-the-us-election/

Timestamps:

01:19 - Why do we need to consider gender when talking about the rise of populism?

08:26 - How do you get from the manosphere to voting and politics?

15:23 - How do you explain female far right leaders like Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen?

22:08 - Why is it important to envision the feeling of aggrieved manhood?

24:14 - Why do you see aggrieved manhood as a public health problem?

35:49 - What's the problem with feeling and emotion being ignored in many contexts?

40:05 - How do individuals like JD Vance represent this viral masculinity?

48:25 - What is lateral empathy, and why is it an important tool?

56:11 - What are you working on now and what are your plans?

Intro music:

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Generosity, rooted in love, courage and equality, shapes the Moomin ethos, underpinning not just the brand, but the business.

In this episode, Jess Miles speaks with Paul Savage and Janne Tienari, co-authors of 'Moomin Management: Redefining Generosity', about what business can learn from Tove Jansson's beloved troll creatures.

They discuss the Moomin principles for businesses around people management, strategic partnerships, digitisation and more, to create organisations that are kinder, curious and more successful.

Paul Savage is Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship at United Arab Emirates University. Janne Tienari is Professor of Management and Organisation at Hanken School of Economics.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/moomin-management

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/10/22/podcast-what-can-business-learn-from-the-moomins/

Timestamps:

01:15 - Who are the Moomins?

01:55 - What's your involvement with the Moomin organisation?

05:38 - Can you explain what the Moomin ecosystem looks like?

09:19 - Did the Moomin characters or the business come first?

10:50 - Can you talk about generosity and the Moomin business?

16:52 - Does the ethos of generosity make things faster?

19:56 - Can you tell us about the emotion, relationality and humour at Moomin?

24:44 - Why are parties so important at Moomin?

27:32 - What first steps can people take to be a bit more Moomin?

30:34 - How would Moomin deal with challenges businesses are currently facing like hybrid working and AI?

35:55 - What's the one thing you want people to take away from the book?

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A compelling discussion on the challenges faced by Black PhD students in academia. Guests William Ackah and Madina Wane, co-editors of 'The Black PhD Experience', offer a nuanced exploration of the lived experiences of Black scholars.

Through personal narratives the book examines systemic barriers, microaggressions, the psychological toll faced by Black students and the strategies they employ to persist.

This episode offers valuable insights for educators, researchers and policymakers seeking to understand and address the urgent need for greater equity and inclusion in higher education.

William Ackah is Senior Lecturer in Black and Community Geographies at Birkbeck, University of London. Madina Wane is a research scientist working in the biomedical sector and the co-founder of the non-profit organisation, Black In Immuno.

Find out more about the book at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-black-phd-student-experience

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/10/09/podcast-the-black-phd-experience/

Read the Leading Routes report: https://leadingroutes.org/the-broken-pipeline

Timestamps:

1:06 - What are your stories and how did you come to edit the book?

5:59 - Can you talk about the approach you've taken with the book?

9:24 - In what ways are widening participation efforts in academia performative?

14:26 - How do individual actions align with structural racism to influence the experience?

19:00 - Can you speak about the drain of the PhD experience?

25:40 - How do black scholars support each other?

35:25 - What fundamental shifts in thinking are needed in higher education to make change possible?

40:17 - Can you talk about the 5 areas for specific action?

49:22 - Can you talk about the fictional last chapter?

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Critical race theory has been problematised and demonised over the years but it has great potential for societal change.

In this episode, Richard Kemp speaks with Rodney D. Coates, author of 'Critical Race Theory and the Search for Truth', about what critical race theory is and why it has found itself in the crosshairs of white nationalists.

They discuss the truths we often don't hear about the transatlantic slave trade, the discrepancy that was created between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and why we need new dreamers to affect systemic change.

Rodney D. Coates is Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at Miami University. He is a public sociologist engaged in critical race, social justice, social movements, social policy, and practice.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/critical-race-theory-and-the-search-for-truth

The full transcript of the podcast is available here:

Timestamps:

1:04 - What is critical race theory, and why has it ended up in the crosshairs of white nationalists?

6:45 - How did European nations explain away the transatlantic slave trade and was there a last effect?

13:25 - Were European nations doing slavery differently than we'd seen before?

24:04 - What happened to cause the discrepancy between Haiti and the Dominican Republic?

30:20 - What racist systems of injustice met people who were part of the Great Migration in the US?

34:53 - What's behind the attack on education with regards to critical race theory and what are their goals?

39:43 - Who benefits from stopping education on critical race theory?

44:57 - How dangerous is the angry black woman trope in society?

51:08 - How can new dreams, and new dreamers, translate to systemic change?

53:26 - Where can we find you online?

Intro music:

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Follow the Transforming Society blog to be told when new articles and podcasts publish: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/follow-the-blog/

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